10 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT DARREN SMEATH

1. He was a professional footballer

I grew up in a tiny town in the Bay of Islands, in New Zealand. I went to primary school with only 22 other children. There wasn’t much to do, so all of us played rugby. When I was 16 I was brought to the Gold Coast to play for the Gold Coast Seagulls. It opened my eyes.

2. He has the piece of paper to prove it

When I was playing football, they helped me get into uni. I studied a Bachelor of Science, with Honours in Ergogenics. This enabled me to make the transition into my second career, and I landed a job with Astra Zeneca, which was then the second largest pharmaceutical company in the world.

3. He’s self-assured

I think my early upbringing strongly affected the way I work. We were taught to never give up, to never hold ourselves back. I was raised being told to do what I wanted to do. We never once got told we couldn’t achieve something.

4. He’s never bored

I have eight different companies – which makes every day different, unique and fun! 20 minutes ago we launched a new product online and it’s already made $4500! Things like that are so exciting they make you want to get out of bed and go to work.

5. His family is as important as his work

My idea of complete happiness is finding that even balance between work, friends and family.

6. He loves his daughter's company

On the weekend you’ll usually find me around Southbank doing fun stuff with my daughter. She’s 10. There is so much to do around there. We might go see a show at QPAC, or ride our bikes around the pathways. We love to get out and have fun.

7. He's passionate about racing

I have a passion for race horses. I’ve got six horses currently in training, and I really enjoy looking at the different pedigrees and their development as foals. One day I’d love have a group one winner. One of my horses has been nominated for the Golden Slipper this year.

8. He has a sweet tooth

My biggest vice is Ice Magic on vanilla ice cream. My grandparents in New Zealand used to give it to me as a kid, it makes me feel nostalgic.

9. He’s not a details person

If I had to describe myself in five words, I’d say I was “caring and big picture focused”. I’m definitely not detail focused. I hire people who are!

10. He believes in visualisation

When I have some big plans and want to make sure I achieve my goals, I create a mood board. I start with a nice white canvas, adding drawings and collage to build a picture of where I want to go.

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